Brain tumour: "There is a lump in my head/How I wish I was dead" - the first lines in an anonymous poem from A Sense of Tumour, a new book of poems, paintings and published articles from the Brain Tumour Support Group. While the incidence of brain tumour is relatively low (8.4 people per 100,000), the trauma for the individual, and his or her family and friends, when the illness strikes is huge. The Brain Tumour Support Group offers support in the community to patients and families. A Sense of Tumour is available in bookshops, price £10. Funds will go towards establishing a drop-in centre in Dublin. The Brain Tumour Support line is 1800 200 700.
In-flight fitness: Swollen feet, aching muscles and headaches are common side-effects of long-haul flights; there's also the risk of fatal clots, as illustrated by last week's death of a 28-year-old Briton, Emma Christoffersen, after a 20-hour flight from Sydney. Drink plenty of water and exercise, the experts recommend. Neither is easy in such cramped conditions. The new airoBIK in-flight exercise machine from Lufthansa Consulting is an innovative effort to provide in-flight exercise for passengers. A compact box which can be fitted with a rowing machine, an exercise bike or a treadmill. Look out for its arrival on your next transatlantic business flight - but don't expect to find one on charter flights!
Down's syndrome: Irish employers are being asked to consider whether there is a long-term work opportunity within their company for someone with Down's syndrome. This initiative, Helping Hands at Work, is one strand of Down Syndrome Ireland's annual fundraising campaign, which begins today. You can support the campaign by buying a honey-pot pin. Current research projects include a major study into the medical and developmental issues that affect all people with the syndrome. Details of the Helping Hands at Work appeal from 01-87300999.
Folic acid: One in five women is still unaware that taking folic acid during and at least three months before pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects in babies. The British study found that just 15 per cent of women had taken folic acid supplements while pregnant or trying for a baby. Spina bifida which is caused by a neural tube defect accounts for one in 10 of all birth defects. Folic acid supplements are widely available in pharmacies. Some foods such as breakfast cereals and bread are fortified with folic acid. (BBC Health News)
lifelines@irish-times.ie
